Beach protection system

ABSTRACT

A beach protection system wherein a bulkhead upstands from a beach extending generally along the high water line, and a ramp, slope or declining wall extends from the bulkhead obliquely downward to ground level on the seaward side of the bulkhead, ground level on the inland side of the bulkhead being raised to approximately the height of the bulkhead.

[ 51 Jan. 23, 1973 United States Patent 1 1 Rasmussen BEACH PROTECTION SYSTEM 1,811,005 6/193] Forbes......................................61/39 Inventor: Niels P. Rasmussen, 7th Street at 3,229,468 l/l966 Schneller..................i... ...........61/49 Delaware River, Camden, NJ.

March 22, 1971 Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun Attorney-Robert K. Youtie [22] Filed:

ABSTRACT A beach protection System wheleln a bulkhead up stands from a beach extending generally along the high water line, and a ramp, slope or declining wall extends from the bulkhead obliquely downward to ground level on the seaward side of the bulkhead, References Cited ground level on the inland side of the bulkhead being UNITED STATES PATENTS raised to approximately the height of the bulkhead.

....6l/39 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures l,97l,324 Weber..............

PATENTEDJAN 23 I973 SHEET 2 BF 2 N 1 EL s Ju/fl y, Z)

N\ \R m BEACH PROTECTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those versed in the art, the problem of erosion along bodies of water, particularly the erosion of pleasure beaches along oceans, large lakes, and the like, presents continual problems heretofore solved only by the repeated delivery of new sand to the beaches, as by dredging from other locations, or otherwise.

That is, while many structures and methods have been proposed, including the building of bulkheads, jetties, and various other constructions, there has been found no generally acceptable mode of resisting or preventing beach erosion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a'unique structure and system for the effective prevention of beach erosion, which is extremely simple and relatively economical, enhances rather than detracts from the appearance and permissible utilization of the beach, and which is capable of a long useful life with a minimum of maintenance and repair.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a beach protection system having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is safe and sturdy for bathers, positively limits possible erosion, effects substantial savings heretofore resulting from storm damage, and which can be quickly and easily erected without employing heavy and expensive equipment usually required in beach protection operations.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the followingspecification-and referring to the accompanying drawings, which forma materialpart of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view, from seaward, showinga beach employing-a protection system of'the present invention, cut away to illustrate details of structure.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing the beach of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional elevational view, taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, enlarged for clarity.

FIG. 4 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 5-50f FIG. 3 and broken away to conserve drawingspace.

FIG. 6 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken generallyalong the line 7-7 of FIG. 1, enlarged for clarity.

FIG; 8' is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1, also enlarged for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the beach is generally designated 10, including a naturally sloping surface 11, declining seaward to the water 12, as seen in FIG. 1, wherein the water 12 is approaching high tide.

In FIG. 2, the surface 11 is under the water 12, the latter being at its normal high water mark as indicated approximately at 15. The natural beach surface is illustrated, see FIG. 2, extended by phantom line 12a, generally above the normal high water line.

A boardwalk or other desired structure 16 may be located upward or inland of the high water mark 15.

A generally upright bulkhead or seawall is illustrated at 17, and may advantageously be fabricated of sturdy metal sheet or plate having its lower, major portion 18 impaled in the ground 20 and having an upper portion upstanding to a predetermined elevation at its upper edge. In particular, the bulkhead or seawall 17 may be fabricated of a series of aligned secured sheets or plates 18 extending longitudinally along the beach 10, being located approximately on the high water line 15 of the beach. If desired, suitable pilings or other reinforcement may be embedded at spaced locations along the bulkhead 18 to strengthen the bulkhead sheets.

Longitudinally coextensive with the bulkhead 17 is a ramp or slope 21 extending obliquely downwardly from and at an approximate angle of 45 with respect to the bulkhead 17 on the seaward side thereof and terminating at the surface of beach material 11. The ramp 21 may advantageously be fabricated of a plurality of metal sheets or plates 22, best seen in FIG. 1, extending in end-to-end coplanar relation with each other. The individual plates 22 of ramp 21 each has one longitudinal edge proximate to and extending along the upper edge of bulkhead 17, as best seen in FIG. 7. The adjacent upper edges of ramp 21 and bulkhead 17 are suitably secured together, an advantageous mode of securement being show in FIG. 7 as a longitudinally extending, overlying and embracing cap or downwardly facing channel 23, having its respective longitudinal edges welded, as at 24and 25, to the ramp 21 and bulkhead 17, or otherwise suitably secured 'in preferably liquidtight relation.

The ramp 2] serves to rigidify and strengthen the bulkhead l7; and further to strengthen and rigidify both the bulkhead 17 and ramp 2], there are provided a plurality of struts or braces, as at 26, extending generally horizontally forwardly from the seaward side of the bulkhead 17 to a lower region of the ramp 21. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the braces 26 may each be fabricated of angle iron, or other suitable material, having an end gusset or plate 27 suitably fixed to the bulk head, as by a fastener 28, or other suitable fastening means. Extending entirely along the underside of the ramp 21 may be a rib or flange 29, see FIGS. 3-6, welded or otherwise suitably secured to the ramp.

Thus, the reinforcement flange or rib 29 extends lon-' gitudinally along the under or inner side of the ramp 21, and the several struts or braces 26 may each have its seaward end suitably secured to the rib, as by fasteners 30 or other suitable fastening means. In practice, each ramp plate 22 may be provided on its underside with a section of rib 29, and the adjacent ends of the aligned rib sections may be suitably secured, as by an overlapping securement plate or butt block 34 fixed to respective ribs 29 as by fasteners 31, or other suitable fastening means.

Advantageously, at spaced locations along the beach 10, the ramp 21 may be cut away or absent, and in its place may be provided a stairway 32, advantageously having a handrail 33.

On the inland side of the bulkhead 17, there is advantageously provided a quantity of sand fill 35, having its surface substantially horizontal and generally level with the upper extremity of the bulkhead 17.

In practice, the bulkhead 17, ramp 21, brace means 26, 29, and stair construction 32, may all advantageously be fabricated of galvanized steel, or other suitable material, and may be coated with paint, or other protective and decorative coating.

Under normal conditions, the tides of seawater 12 rise only approximately to the high water level shown in FIG. 2 and will cause no appreciable erosion.

Under moderately severe conditions, say high spring tide, the level of water 12 would not exceed the elevation of bulkhead 17. Further, under severe storm conditions, with water and waves passing over the bulkhead 17, only a negligible amount of sand 35 would be removed, due to the height of the bulkhead.

Under normal conditions of beach use, the fill sand 35 at its elevated level, would provide a convenient surface for enhanced viewing of the water, both for aesthetic and safety purposes. Further, the ramp 21 in addition to its rigidifying structure, effectively prevents or deters the erosion of sand from proximate to the bulkhead 17 on the seaward side thereof. This, of course, assures maintenance of adequate support to the bulkhead, as well as a safe and hole-free beach surface. Additionally, the ramp structure 21 serves admirably well as a sliding board into a few inches of water at normal high tide, for the attraction and entertainment of children.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a beach protection system which is extremely simple in construction, requiring a minimum of maintenance, and which otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A beach protection system comprising an upright bulkhead on a beach extending generally along the high water mark fabricated of flat plates in edge-to-edge coplanar relationship and having its lower region embedded in the beach and having its upper edge at a predetermined elevation above the beach at said high water mark, sand fill on the inland side of the bulkhead substantially to said upper bulkhead edge, a ramp fabricated of flat plate in edge-to-edge coplanar relationship longitudinally substantially coextensive with said bulkhead and extending obliquely downwardly from the upper edge of said bulkhead to the beach level on the seaward side of said bulkhead to resist erosion of beach sand from adjacent to said bulkhead, on the seaward side thereof, said ramp being spaced from the bulkhead below the upper edge of the latter, and brace means connected to and extending through the space between said bulkhead and ramp below said upper bulkhead edge to reinforce said ramp against abnormally high tides, the beach inland of said bulkhead being completely protected from normal tides and substantially protected from abnormally high tides to said predetermined elevation.

2. A beach protection system according to claim 1, in combination with steps interposed in said ramp at spaced locations along said bulkhead.

3. A beach protection system according to claim 1, said bulkhead comprising metal sheeting impaled into the ground.

4. A beach protection system according to claim 3, said ramp comprising metal sheeting having its upper edge secured to the upper edge of said bulkhead sheeting, and cap means fixedly positioned in watertight relation over the secured edges of said bulkhead and ramp sheeting. 

1. A beach protection system comprising an upright bulkhead on a beach extending generally along the high water mark fabricated of flat plates in edge-to-edge coplanar relationship and having its lower region embedded in the beach and having its upper edge at a predetermined elevation above the beach at said high water mark, sand fill on the inland side of the bulkhead substantially to said upper bulkhead edge, a ramp fabricated of flat plate in edge-to-edge coplanar relationship longitudinally substantially coextensive with said bulkhead and extending obliquely downwardly from the upper edge of said bulkhead to the beach level on the seaward side of said bulkhead to resist erosion of beach sand from adjacent to said bulkhead, on the seaward side thereof, said ramp being spaced from the bulkhead below the upper edge of the latter, and brace means connected to and extending through the space between said bulkhead and ramp below said upper bulkhead edge to reinforce said ramp against abnormally high tides, the beach inland of said bulkhead being completely protected from normal tides and substantially protected from abnormally high tides to said predetermined elevation.
 2. A beach protection system according to claim 1, in combination with steps interposed in said ramp at spaced locations along said bulkhead.
 3. A beach protection system according to claim 1, said bulkhead comprising metal sheeting impaled into the ground.
 4. A beach protection system according to claim 3, said ramp comprising metal sheeting having its upper edge secured to the upper edge of said bulkhead sheeting, and cap means fixedly positioned in watertight relation over the secured edges of said bulkhead and ramp sheeting. 